Self closing dispensing container



Sept. 13, 1960 w. s. SCHNEIDER SELF CLOSING nrsmzusmc CONTAINER 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 27, 1958 WZL/HM saws/0E8,

INVENTOR.

J4rrakufiy$ Sept. 13, 1960 w. s. SCHNEIDER SELF CLOSING DISPENSINGCONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 27, 1958 II ILL/HM '5: SCHNE/DER;

. INVENTOR.

, V BY f2 21 limited States atent ()fiii 2,952,394 Patented Sept. 13,1960 2,952,394 SELF CLOSING DISPENSING CONTAINER William S. Schneider,Los Angeles, Calif., assignor of small interests to various assigneesFiled Jan. 27, 1958, Ser. No. 711,229

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) The present invention relates generally tocontainers for fluid or similar substances, and more especially toflexible containers that are made from thin sheets or webs of paper orsimilar materials which are capable of being sealed together by theapplication of heat and pressure.

The present invention is especially concerned with containers which holda larger amount than is intended to be dispensed at a single time, asopposed to containers which hold a measured amount of a substance to bedispensed all at one time so that the containers are immediately emptiedupon being opened. The former are commonly referred to as multi-usepackages and the latter as single-use packages. When a package holdsmore of the substance than is to be dispensed at one time, the containerpreferably has certain characteristics not ordinarily present in acontainer that is immediately emptied. These characteristics make itpossible for the container after opening to serve satisfactorily as atemporary storage container for that portion of the original contentswhich is to be dispensed at subsequent times. For example, it isdesirable that the package have a shape such that a dispensing openingin the container is at or close to the highest point of the containerwhen the container is set down with one of its fiat sides on asupporting surface and the container is stable in this position. As aresult, the contents are maintained below the level of the opening anddo not spill or leak out accidentally. It is also desirable that thecontainer have one side which is more or less obviously the base uponwhich it rests. This side is preferably flat and so disposed that thecontainer is not likely to tip or turn over when resting on that side.

It is also advantageous in a multi-use container of this character thatthe walls of the container around the opening through which the materialis removed can be brought together to close the opening againstaccidental entrance of dirt or other undesirable material, and that whenin this position the walls at the opening will of themselves tend toremain in the closed position. This is an obvious advantage in keepingthe contents from being contaminated by dirt or other materials which itis desired to exclude. Containers of the kind with which the presentinvention is concerned do not lend themselves well to the use of astopper or the like to fill the opening. Furthermore any such extrinsicmeans of closing the opening is an extra article which must be furnishedin addition to the original package and which suffers from thedisadvantage that it can be easily lost, even before the container isopened, unless in some way attached to the container.

It is also advantageous in a multiple use container that the containerconstruction be such that the opening through which the contents aredispensed can be enlarged at will by the user by separating thecontainer walls at the opening in order to permit free flow of thecontents when the container is inverted to pour out the contents or aportion thereof. Separation of the container walls makes it possible forthe size or shape of the opening to be such that material flows freely,an obvious convenience to the user. If the container walls remainrelatively close together, the narrow opening is so restricted that flowof the contents is slow or irregular; and the opening must then be madeso long in order to obtain sufiicient flow that it cannot beconveniently closed during a storage period.

Thus it becomes a general object of my invention to provide a containerwith advantageous constructional features which enable the container tobe used conveniently to store an unused portion of the contents betweenthe time of opening the container and the time that all of the contentsare dispensed.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a container having ashape such that the container has a stable rest position and that it ispossible, by tearing or cutting away a portion of the container toprovide an opening through which the contents are dispensed, saidopening being in the highest portion of the container when the containeris in said rest position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a multiple use containerhaving a dispensing opening that can be enlarged or opened widely atwill by the user and which can be returned to substantially closed position and remain in this closed position without the use of a separateclosure member.

Another object of my invention is to provide a multiple use container ofthe general character described that is provided with a pouring channelthrough which the contents can be dispensed and having means associatedwith the channel to insure that the channel is opened substantially at apredetermined position by any user of the container in order that theadvantageous features of the container construction may be used.

These objects of my invention have been achieved in a container thattypically and preferably has a tetrahedral shape. This container can beformed from a tube; and the tube can be formed from a fiat sheet or webof material by sealing the longitudinal edges of the sheet together toform a tube open at the ends. The ends of the tube are then closed bybringing opposing marginal portions of the tube walls together inface-to-face relation and sealing them, thus forming at each end of thetube a substantially flat sealed area. The sealed area at one end of thetube is disposed in a plane generally at a right angle to the planecontaining the sealed area at the other end of the tube, thus formingthe finished con tainer into a four sided figure of which each side isgenerally triangular; but more especially three walls of the containerhave triangular portions converging to a common apex. The containerincludes means defining a pouring channel located adjacent a fold commonto two sides near the common apex of these three sides of the containerand communicating with the interior of the container. This pouringchannel is closed at its outer end by one of the end sealed areas.Closure means for the channel is provided in the form of a secondarysealed area, adjoining the channel that is also the means defiining thepouring channel. The secondary sealed area is so located and shaped thatit produces a bend ac companied by inherent stresses in the walls of thecontainer at the inner end of the pouring channel of such a characterthat the stresses tend to hold the walls together along a predeterminedline when they are once brought into mutual contact. These stresses canbe overcome by applying an external force to the container walls at thechannel to spread apart the walls for easy discharge of the contents.

How the above objects and advantages of my invention as well as othersnot specifically referred to, are

attained will be more readily apparent from the following descriptionand the annexed drawing in which.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a multi-use container cmbodying apreferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the container at reduced scale;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the container at reduced scale as viewed inthe direction of arrow 3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation similar to Fig. 1 with the top cornerof the container removed to open the pouring channel;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation indicated by arrows 55 in Fig. 3 showing thesides of the pouring channel spread apart prior to dispensing thecontents;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on line 66 of Fig. 1; at a larger scale.

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the tube formed as one step in themanufacture of my improved container; and

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are views similar to Fig. 1 of modified forms of myinvention.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, afinished container 10 constructed according to my invention. The novelfeatures and the advantages of this container are most easily describedand understood by referring to the several steps involved in making thecontainer, and consequently it will be described in this manner.

The container may conveniently be considered as made from a tube ofsheet material, but in its broad aspect, my invention is independent ofhow the tubular member is produced. The original stock could be aseamless tube cut to length. Usually the tube is formed by sealingtogether, by the application of heat and pressure, the longitudinalmargins of a strip of fiat stock. If the stock is scalable on bothfaces, the margins may be overlapped to form a flat seam for the lengthof the tube. However, as will be apparent from the followingdescription, the container may be made from stock which is scalable onone face only; and this type of stock involves certain steps in themanufacture of the container with consequent structure peculiar to thistype of stock as will be explaincd. Reference may also be had to mycopending application, Serial Number 606,349, filed August 27, 1956, onDispensing Container for a more complete description of a container andits manufacture from stock of this character scalable on one face only.It will be understood clearly from the following how stock which isscalable on either face may also be used, such stock being well known inthe art. This makes it possible to use a wide range of materials in thepractice of my invention without limitation as to whether the stock canbe sealed on one or both faces.

The preferred types of sheet materials are laminated or coated, andtypically include paper sheets coated on one or both sides with asynthetic resin or plastic substance. Another example is a paper sheetcoated on one side and having on the other side a metal foil. Variouscombinations of these and other substances are used in making flexiblecontainers.

A preferred stock for making my improved container is a paper board of.005 in. thickness coated on one side with a layer of polyethylene of.002 in. thickness and on the other side with aluminum foil having athickness of .00035 inch. The total thickness is about .007 inch. Thestock is flexible but at the same time has a desired degree ofstiffness, the utility of which will become apparent later. It has beenfound that several laminated stocks in the range of about .004.009 inchthat are moderately stifi and crisp are satisfactory, with thicker stockbeing used for larger containers to obtain the desired degree ofstiffness and definition in the walls of the container. The advantagesof my invention are not fully realized unless the stock has a moderatedegree of stififncss equivalent to that of the stock just described.Moderate stiffness enables the container walls to assume and retaincertain positions in the vicinity of the pouring opening 4 as will beexplained. Without this characteristic the walls cannot hold the desiredpositions or shapes.

It is well known in the art that the stock is normally supplied in aroll from which the stock is unrollcd as a continuous web that issevered at regular intervals to form the individual containers. Theinitial stage is to form a tubular member 11 shown in cross-section inFig. 7. It is assumed in this case that the web is of stock which isscalable on one side only and that this side is the face which becomesthe inside surface of the container. The tube 11 is formed by bringingthe two longitudinal edges of the web together as at 12 so that theinside faces of the longitudinal marginal portions are in contact witheach other. These edge portions indicated at 12 are sealed together bythe application of heat and pressure in a suitable manner, and are thenfolded over against an unsealed part of the tube to the position 12a asindicated in dotted lines. The result is the tubular member 11.

The operation so far described leaves the tubular member open at bothends; and these ends are closed one 'after the other. Normally the freeend is closed first, the second end being closed after the container isfilled. The end closures are made by bringing together marginal portionsof the tube walls at each end, the opposing marginal portions then beingsealcd together at their inside faces in the same manner as used inconnection with the portions at 12. Finally the container is severedfrom the web. The result is that the container has at each end a scaledarea, indicated at 14 and 15 in Figs. l-5. These areas are both normallyrectangular in shape and they are more or less uniform in width. It isto be understood that the sequence or method of performing these severaloperations may be varied, using suitable methods and machines known inthe art, because the invcntion is not necessarily limited to aparticular sequence or method of forming the container. As may be seenclearly by reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the sealed area 14 liessubstantially in a plane which is disposed generally at right angles tothe plane in which sealed area 15 lies. For practical reasons these twosealed areas are preferably disposed at with respect to each other, buta satisfactory package can be obtained with a somewhat lesser angle,though it is preferred that the angle be in excess of about 75. Locationof these two end sealed areas at right angles to each other produces thetetrahedral shape of the finished package, the package having fourgenerally triangular sides of similar size. Each side of the containeris substantially fiat and can be used as a base upon which to rest thecontainer in a position which is stable and in which the containerresists tilting or tipping.

When resting on any side of the container, the other three sides havetriangular upper portions converging toward a common apex which is atthe top of the container. Thus when the side 21 is employed as the baseupon which the container rests, the three sides 22, 23 and 24 of thecontainer slope inwardly and upwardly toward a common apex 25. This apexis the highest point of the container, except for end seal 15, and islocated at one end of the sealed area 15. Because of the presence of thesecondary seal described below, the apex 25 diifcrs slightly in finalshape from an apex formed by any other group of three sides. As will bepointed out, there is a fold at the physical apex rather than a bluntpoint.

At apex 25 there is located the pouring channel 26 through which thecontents of the container are dispensed. One of the longitudinal sidesof the channel is at and defined by a fold in the container wall at theapex 25. The opposite longitudinal side of the channel is defined by theedge 28a of the secondary sealed area 28 (Fig. 6) formed by sealingtogether, facc-to-face, walls 22 and 24 over a small area. This sealedarea 28 creates a fold in the container wall at apex 25 and, in eifect,shifts the top corner of side 23 away from apex 25 by the length of thisfold, as seen in Fig. 1. The channel 26 is always open at its inner end.to the interior of the container, and in the completed package theouter end is closed by end sealed area 15, as may be seen especially inFig. l. The sealed area 28 is preferably triangular in shape and has aside 28b that is a straight line that, if, projected, crosses thepouring channel at its base or inner end. Sealed area 28 is here shownas separate or spaced from end sealed area 15, so that the third side ofthe triangular area is preferably parallel, or substantially so, to theinner edge of the end seal.

As an alternate construction, the secondary sealed area 28 may adjoin orbe continuous with the end seal; and in that event the sides 28:: and28b are extended to meet the end seal, the third side disappearing as aphysically separate edge. However, such physical merger of the twosealed areas does not change the novel separate functions of thesecondary seal.

In order to facilitate breaking the seal at the end of the pouringchannel substantially at a predetermined location, there is provided aline of weakness that, when projected crosses channel 26 at or near itsouter end. This line of weakness may take one of several forms but ishere shown as a row of perforations 30 extending diagonally across endseal 15 from a tear cut 31 that intersects one edge of container asshown in Fig. 1. This construction not only makes it easy to open thecontainer manually by tearing oif the corner of the container along theline 30-3 1, after which the opened container appears as in Fig. 4, butthe line of tearing is properly located with respect to the pouringchannel. It is of course possible to cut off the corner of the packagewith shears along the line 303'1. Where it is intended to cut off thecorner with shears, the proper location of the out can be indicated byindicia printed on the container.

After the corner has been removed as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4 thepouring channel is open at its outer end and the contents can bedispensed through this channel. However, the walls of the channel tendto remain in contact with each other as seen in Fig. 6, leaving only along, narrow discharge orifice. To spread the walls apart, lightpressure is applied to one side of the channel at the top of thecontainer. This pressure may be applied by pressing near the inner endof the channel in the direction indicated by arrow 33 in Fig. 4. Thepressure moves a portion of the top side 23 of the container downwardlyto some lower position as indicated by the dotted line 23a. Thisdeformation causes the side walls of the channel 26 each to bowoutwardly, spreading the walls to provide a relatively wide orifice atthe outer end of channel 26, as shown in Fig. 5, through which thecontents may pass freely. If downward pressure at 33 is now removed thewalls of the channel remain bowed out to some extent as at 34 and 35,especially at the outer end of the. channel. This aids greatly indispensing the contents, whether liquor or powdered, in a free flowingand controlled manner.

After pouring out some of the contents, if the remainder of the contentsis to be stored in the container and if it is desired to close thepouring channel, the side walls of the channel are pressed togetherbetween the thumb and forefinger. When pressure from the fingers isremoved the side walls tend to remain in contact, or nearly so, closingthe channel 26 to the entry of dirt and the like from outside thecontainer. The side walls of the channel remain together because thestresses in the container wall produced by'the secondary sealed area andthe stitfness of the stock used cause the bend along line 28b to extenditself entirely across the inner end of the channel at 37. When crisp,stiff packaging material of the type described is used the tendency ofthe fold line 28b to extend itself across the channel is so marked thatthe user can feel a click or snap when he presses the walls of thechannel together.

The stresses in the container wall that produce this 6 result are bestunderstood from a study of Figs. 1 and 6. The walls forming sides 22 and24 of the container are sealed together over the secondary seal area 28and are thus flat and parallel to each other over this area. At thestraight edge 28b of this area there is a clearly defined bend becausealong this line 28b the walls 22 and 2.4 diverge, sloping outwardly anddownwardly to their junction With bottom surface 21. The external anglecreated by the bend at 28a is designated a in Fig. 6. It is the same ateach side of the container. Since the stock from which-the container ismade has a degree of stiffness as described, the bend in the wallnaturally extends itself from the established bend line 28b of thesealed area 28 along line 37 to the edge of the package. Bend line 37holds the sides 22 and 24 close together where they are the walls ofchannel 26, especially at the inner end of the channel; and it causesthe walls to diverge below bend 37 at nearly the same external angle aat the base of the pouring channel as at the edge 28b of the sealedarea. In other words the strength employed to keep the channel shut isthe known structural strength or rigidity of a bend as compared with aflat surface. The strength of a bend increases as the bend angleincreases reaching a theoretical maximum strength if bend angle reachesdegrees.

With reasonable handling, the channel will remain closed until pressureis applied as indicated at point 33 and the side walls of the channelare spread apart. This pressure is applied near the vertex of triangulartop side 23; and this pressure progressively moves the vertex toward theouter open end of the channel, thus spreading the channel walls. Thispressure is applied in the general direction of the length of the bendat 37 and 28b and causes the bend at 37 to buckle and the side walls bowoutwardly at 34 and 35 (Fig. 5). The typical shape of the orifice soproduced is roughly diamond shaped. New bends at 3-4 and 35 aretransverse to and extend across line 37; and because of the stiffness ofthe material it tends to hold the new position of the walls. As the twowalls buckle at 37 and bow outwardly their stiffness makes the walls popout to the new position as the channel is opened. The channel can beclosed again by pressing the walls together, as mentioned above, erasingthe folds 34 and 35 and restoring the bend at 37 in each wall, thelatter bend closing the channel.

The stock has sufficient resiliency to go through this cycle of openingand closing many times. As a result the container may be used as anefficient storage container with contents being dispensed in a number ofportions. This intrinsic device of push button opening and closingwithout separate or extrinsic closing members represents a maximum ineconomy and convenience.

Both the size and shape of sealed \area 28 have an influence on thestresses produced in the container Walls. As the sealed area extendsfarther into the normal cavity and away from the end seal, the angle adecreases. This makes a sharper bend at 2812 and at 37, thus making morepronounced the strength and the effect of this bend in closing thepouring channel. The proportions shown in Fig. 1 are satisfactory, thelength of side 28a of the sealed area varying with the size of thepackage; but in general it has been found that a length of about A in.to /z in. achieves satisfactory operation.

The triangular shape of area 28 is preferred for various reasons, thoughthe invention is not limited thereto. One advantage is that side 28b isparallel to the tear-01f line 3031 and so presents an attractiveappearance. Another advantage is that the ultimate container has amaximum cavity space for the contents for a given area of stock used tomake the container. Also all the pouring channel is at the top of thecontainer where the cavity is not filled by the contents.

A further advantage is that the triangular shape of area 28 produces amaximum length of pouring channel as compared with variations describedbelow. The longer channel affords a better closure and betterprotectionof the contents during the storage period. Probably the chiefadvantage is that the bend at 28b and its extension 37 has amaximum'value for angle a, thus making the bend most effective inclosing the channel. This condition makes it preferable to dispose side28b at about a right angle relative to the side 23, or the intersectededge of side 22 as seen in Fig. 1. Later discussion of variational formspoints up the reasons for this.

There are possible variations of this invention departing from thepreferred form illustrated. For instance the angle that bend line 28bmakes with the end seal can be progressively decreased as shown in Figs.8, 9 and with progressively less cavity area for product andprogressively less inherent stress at innner limit of the channel toproduce extension of bend line 28b across the channe Figs. 8, 9 and 10illustrate variational forms of my invention in which the container isconstructed as already described except for changes in the secondarysealed area that will be pointed out. The principal change illustratedis the change in the position of the inside straight edge of the sealedarea which forms the bend in the container Wall that closes the pouringchannel. Thus in Fig. 8 this inside edge 38d of area 38a makes a flatterangle With the end seal than is the case with the edge 28b of the formillustrated in Fig. 1. In Fig. 8 this edge projected would intersect theend sealed area near its midpoint. If this angle is further decreasedthe result becomes a construction as shown in Fig. 9 in which the edge38a of the sealed area 38b extends all the way across the containermeeting the end sealed area 15 at the lower corner of the container.

In Fig. 10 the secondary sealed area 380 extends across the containerwith its inner edge 38 parallel to the normal inner edge of the endsealed area 15. Area 38c does not extend entirely across the containerbut obviously could be extended to the edge of the package.

A comparison of these three figures illustrates the result of thisprogressive change in the location of the edges 33a, 38e and 38 In thefirst place the pouring channel 26 is progressively shortened. This isbrought about because the bend at 37 intersects the edge of thecontainer closer to the outer end of the channel. Also the bend in thecontainer wall at 37 becomes less sharp. In other words the externalangle a is greater at the bend 37 in Fig. 10 than in Fig. 8. This allreduces the sharpness of the bend at 37 and correspondingly reduces thecapability of extended bend line 37 to hold the inner end of pouringchannel together. It is for these reasons that the shape and location ofthe secondary sealed area illustrated in Fig. 1 are preferred.

Another change in these forms of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 9and 10 in which the space between the end sealed area and the secondaryend sealed area has been omitted. This space can likewise be omitted inthe forms illustrated in Figs. 1 and 8.

It will be realized that persons skilled in the art may conceive ofvarious changes in the construction or arrangement of a containerwithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Accordinglyit is to be understood that the foregoing description is considered tobe illustrative of, rather than limitative upon the appended clairns.

I claim:

1. A tetrahedral shaped dispensing container for liquid, granular, orother fluent substances comprising a tube of thin, flexible materialhaving a moderate degree of stillness that enables the container wallsto retain a set position, the container having at each end marginalportions of the tube sealed together inside face to inside face, theseal at one end of the container being in a plane substantially at tothe plane of the seal at the other end, and the sealed area at one endof the container including a secondary sealed area defining a pouringchannel communicating at its inner end with the interior of thecontainer and closed at the outer end by said one sealed area, saidsecondary sealed area defining at the inner end of the channel a bend ineach of two side walls of the container, said bends extending across theinner end of the pouring channel inwardly from said one sealed area andproducing stresses in said two side walls forming the pouring channelinwardly of said one sealed area that hold the walls of the pouringchannel in contact after being brought into contact.

2. A dispensing container as in claim 1 in which the pouring channel isat an apex of the container and adjoins a fold common to two sides ofthe container.

3. A dispensing container as in claim 1 in which the secondary sealedarea is adjacent but spaced from the remainder of the sealed areaclosing the end of the container.

4. A dispensing container as in claim 1 in which the secondary sealedarea is continuous with the remainder of the sealed area closing the endof the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,341,056 Moore Feb. 8, 1944 2,541,674 Snyder Feb. 13, 1951 FOREIGNPATENTS 73,361 Sweden Apr. 5, 1948

